Where The Roads Meet Again
by Sakura Taichou
Summary: She's chosen her new path, but the roads of others still meet with hers, bringing old things into new light and new rivalries into existance.  Check it out.
1. Prologue: Choice Reflections

This is my first Gokusen. I love all of it; the anime, the manga and the drama! I came up with this idea about the main characters and I couldn't let it go so here it is. Disclaimer: Me no own Gokusen. Please enjoy.

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It had been a while since Yamaguchi had seen her cute students, both her first delinquents of Shiroken Gakuen, and the other delinquents of Kurogin Gakuen. Every once in a while, she ran into Kuma and that was fun, of course; but sometimes, she wondered what the others were up to. Sometimes, it seemed odd that she didn't see them, but, she reasoned, they were living their lives like adults now and she did hear things from Kuma after all. Hyuga, one of her more troublesome (she thought this with a great deal of affection) students, had found honest work in a real bar and Minami had gone overseas to Australia, trying for a college that held promise. News of a few more of her students came back to her and so far it was all good; it made her feel proud whenever she recalled them. Still though,

She sighed to herself. It would have been nice to see them again, especially her ringleaders, Sawada Shin and Odagiri Ryu. She wanted to see them the most.

Thinking back, she recalled that Sawada had gone overseas to Africa to do volunteer work; it was a trip that would have taken two years and that had been about three and a half years ago so by logic, he should be back, unless he decided to go somewhere else. She wasn't sure what he would do really, she could never predict him at all. And Ryu, he was like a blip on the radar screen. One day, there'd be news that he was working here, and then the next month, he was no where. She'd once heard news that he was in school again, college, and she often hoped that that rumor was the true one. He had promise, like all her students, but he was some how…Special. Like Sawada. They were both so special.

With those thoughts in mind, she stepped out of bed with a new destiny in mind; one that, Sawada and Odagiri would both find not at all surprising.

* * *

Prologue!!! 


	2. Destiny Asserts

Welcome to chapter one of my kinda-out-there story. Please enjoy and standard disclaimer: me no own Gokusen.

* * *

"Kumiko-chan, good morning," Her grandfather said, welcoming her to the table, smiling and gesturing to the food. "Sit, sit. What are your plans for today? Do you have an appointment with a new school?"

She sat beside him, watching as Minoru and Tetsu placed some food before her, weighing her words. With a deep breath, she smiled.

"No, no school today. I'm not looking for a job today." Grandfather frowned a little.

"Kumiko-chan, that's two weeks now you haven't gone job hunting. Is something wrong?" His gaze was suddenly measures more shrewd and she mentally sweated to herself.

"Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. All of you." The men all looked up at her. They sat back and waited, wondering what could be bothering her. "Well, you all know that I haven't taught anyone since March, which was about three months ago and that I've been taking part of the business more and more." Kyou's expression was slowly becoming a little filled with dread, his mind filling with the dreaded thought (please _oh please_, don't let her want to be a cop…) and only the little voice of sanity kept him from shouting the absurd and totally improbability out loud. Unaware of where Kyou's thoughts were going, Kumiko opened her mouth.

"I'm your granddaughter, a member of the Oedo Clan. Yamaguchi Kumiko; and," she met his eyes with her most determined stare. "I want to be a part of the family business. That's what I want the most."

"Hm," her grandfather set his hands in his lap, considering her. While the men were shocked into silence with Tetsu silently celebrating, grandfather watched her for any hesitation. "You want to be the fourth generation heiress in more than name?"

"Yes."

"Are you absolutely sure? This is not something you can ever leave." He gave her a serious glare, "You will be the center of the entire Clansmen's lives. They will depend on you to always, _always_ lead them; you will be there home and their rock. Are you sure?"

She didn't hesitate, didn't blink. She just smiled, eyes glittering with the promise of a new future.

"Hai" He nodded, pleased by her answer. But he still had one question.

"One thing though, Kumiko-chan; what made you decide on this? What happened to being a teacher?"

Her expression became thoughtful as she ate some rice. She swallowed.

"Well, after my last job ended, I was still pumped about going to another school; I still felt the want to keep going on that path. But, I didn't feel the passion for it anymore." The men were confused. Didn't she just say…?

"I know it sounds weird but what I mean is that, yeah, I was acting all excited but, somewhere deep down I felt as though that wasn't the right path for me anymore. I thought maybe, if I waited a little, the doubt would go away," She put down the bowl. "But it didn't. It just got bigger, so I thought I'd see what else there was I could do.

"Then I thought about the family business." She raised her hands to look at them. "At school, I kept showing signs of what home was like, showing the yakuza mannerisms. It worked well with my first two classes, they responded well; but, it's a problem, I constantly have to hide what I am. I shouldn't have to hide." She said the last part almost to herself, her expression contemplative. Kuroda watched her, knowing. "I'm not hiding anymore. Teaching was my dream but," She looked at Kuroda, her heart in her eyes, her resolve in her eyes. "It's as if, I taught the classes I was meant to teach and now I have another path to take."

Kuroda leaned back in his seat, silent for a long moment as he thought, then he nodded twice.

"Alright." He smiled at her, putting an arm around her, easing her worry. "Alright! If this is the path you feel you must take, then this is the path you will take. Everyone!"

The men straitened, looking at their leader.

"Your next generation leader is decided! Kumiko-chan is going to lead you!"

"YATTA!!!!" Tetsu jumped up, shouting and celebrating while Minoru and Kyou clapped and hugged. Kumiko watched them with a wide smile on her face, feeling the excitement and the growing sense of rightness that settled into her chest.

"Na minna!" The men looked at her. "I'll do my best for you!"


	3. It Came Together Today

Chapter Two, please enjoy. I'm not tellin' who'll end up with who either. Nya.

* * *

The kimono trailed behind her, a spill of black silk decorated with bamboo and red cranes held together by a gold and orange obi, it was a beautiful outfit. Her hair, normally in pigtails or a high ponytail, was down and brushed to a shine, only a flower, a tiger lily, was nestled behind her ear. Light make up enhanced her already pretty features, making her stunning. All in all, the overall effect was beautiful and flawless.

And it annoyed the hell out of her; the only thing that stopped her from changing was the years of training she went through for this moment. That and the guys were all teary eyed as she modeled her new look. She huffed but smiled for them. She liked wearing kimono, they made her feel beautiful and confident; it was just that it was difficult to move in. She was going to take a leaf out of her grandfathers book soon and just start dressing in casual yukata for everything. She was going to be the Kumichou, she could do it too!

"Wonderful Kumiko-chan," She looked up from the mirror in front of her to see her grandfather entering the room; he was smiling at her and chuckling. "You look wonderful. Today, you're going to greet the clan as the official heiress. All of the allied families will be here too, including a few of their own heirs. You'll need to make a speech and talk to them one on one. You don't necessarily need to meet all of them but try to greet most of them. Can you handle it?"

She nodded. The meeting would be in an hour and the families were slowly arriving. The road outside was clogging up with black cars and limos; the neighbors who had heard the news were stopping by too to offer their congratulations and encouragement. Everyone was so pleased by her decision that the meeting was shaping up to be more of a party than an announcement ceremony.

"Ojou," Tetsu, who had disappeared for a moment, appeared again around a wall, a wary look about him. "you have visitors."

"Eh?" She went to the door, moving slow and gracefully, because moving awkward was just too embarrassing in what was supposed to be a formal occasion. She stepped out onto the landing and saw to her amazement, Odagiri Ryu, the ring leaders of Kurogin Gakuen and Sawada Shin, lined up and looking at each other, mostly Ryu and Shin looking at each other. She made a noise and they looked at her, really looked at her.

"Wow, Yankumi, you really clean up good!" the smallest of them, Taketa Keita, the boy with the silver hair pins always in his wild auburn hair said, "You look cute!"

"Thanks. So do you." The guys blinked at her flirt, not used to how she looked or how she was acting. "Wow, it's been a long time. It's so good to see you all again!"

Tsuchiya Hikaru, the boy who seemed to never be without a fan grinned at her.

"Same to you _Ojou-sama_." He said, fanning himself.

She laughed, stepping closer to all of them. She patted down the front of her kimono, before reaching up. Her hand hesitated and her smile became gentle and she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. He looked down at her in surprise.

"Wow, if I'd known calling you Ojou would have gotten your attention before, I'd have done it when we were in school." He put an arm around her and she looked up at him. She grinned.

"Well back then I would have hit you if you so much as thought of it. It was a secret, remember?" She moved to the smaller man and put her arms around him. He grinned back at her, 'nya'-ed and hugged her too.

"Yankumi, what's with the get up? You got a wedding or something? Say, with me?" She gave him alight punch in the arm.

"What's wrong with dressing up every now and then?" She hugged Yabuki Hayato, who picked her up, making her squeak. He was a happier man, though he kept his smile down to a light smirk. "it's good to see you too Yabuki."

"Likewise Yankumi" He set her down and she adjusted the obi before looking at Hyuga Kosuke. He waved at her.

"Hey Yankumi. You look good. I can barely recognize you." She widened her eyes and feigned shock.

"Was I really that dowdy back then?" They all answered at once.

"Yes."

"Hmph; well it's still good to see you all. But I still haven't heard anything from the two leaders." Here, she looked at Shin and Ryu who were just staring at her in all her finery, neither could seem to speak until she directed her attention at them. She went over to Shin, whose gaze never wavered from her eyes. "Sawada, how have you been? How was Africa?"

"It was fine. I helped people build houses." Her eyes were soft as she took him in. She hugged him and drew away. The Kurogin guys watched them closely, unaware of how she knew this guy, he seemed only a little older than them. Ryu watched their interaction with hooded eyes.

"That's wonderful; when did you get back?"

"Last spring; I stayed a few more months to help with a school there." He gestured to her clothes. "So what's with this? You embracing your inheritance _Kumichou_?"

"Maybe;" she said coyly, moving away from him to Ryu. "I'll tell you after I've spoken with my other precious student."

"Hey Odagiri"

"Hey Yankumi" She touched the front of his jacket.

"It's Kumiko now; Ryu" His eyes widened as well as everyone else's, though Shin's narrowed a moment later. "You're a graduate. And I'm not a teacher anymore." A few strands of hair had settled in front of an eye.

Ryu reached up and pushed it behind her ear, a tiny smile on his face, and settled his hand on her shoulder.

"Kumiko-san"

She hugged him, and his arms settle around her.

"Just Kumiko" he chuckled and it was a man sound.

"Okay, Kumiko"

The guys watched the interplay in silent awe; who knew _Ryu_ of all people could be this gentle with someone. And since when had the two embracing had such a close relationship?

"What about us Yankumi?" Keita whined to her, his face still incredibly cute even in his twenties. "Can't we call you Kumiko too?" he pouted at her and she laughed, Ryu and her letting go of one another.

"Of course you can if you like. All of you can." She lifted the front of her kimono a bit, stepping up to the next landing and gesturing with a hand said,

"Please come in"


	4. It's An Unexpected Exchange

She led them into a room two doors in and settled them all as she called for tea. She set herself down in her usual place, pouring tea for all of them when it arrived. She placed her hands in her lap.

"Now, what brought you all to my home after so long?" Hikaru answered for them, or at least, for those he knew.

"Ryu called all of us, said he was back in town and asked if we wanted to see you. Then he came to each of our homes and dragged us here." Ryu shot him a look but Hikaru just laughed. "Like you didn't Ryu; we would've come anyway, you didn't have to glare us to death."

He looked away and the guys all laughed.

"Well, we wanted to see you too Ya, Kumiko-chan." Keita said, doing his cat paw imitation. "This was just the perfect time to do it together. By the way," he whispered dramatically behind a raised hand. "Who's he?" and he pointed at Shin.

"Is he another one of your 'precious students'?" Hyuga asked.

"Or an old boyfriend?" Asked Hayato. The men all 'ooh'-ed and Kumiko waved their words away.

"He was one of my first students when I taught at Shirokin. He was their leader; Sawada Shin" Shin tilted his head at them. They ooh-ed again.

"He's just like you Ryu!" Hayato said, slapping Ryu on the shoulder.

"Shut up," He looked at Shin, to find him staring right back. They eyed each other, an undercurrent of tension going between them, and no one else seemed to notice it except Hikaru. He observed their behavior with a developing understanding. With a knowing grin he fanned himself and directed his attention back at Kumiko.

"So tell us, what's with the kimono and the makeup and the hair? You said you'd tell us once we were inside."

"I didn't say that!" She said, eyebrows pinched together.

"Well tell us anyway."

The men nodded together, Shin just looking at her, and she shrugged.

"Okay; since I don't really have a lot of time before it starts I guess I can fill you in.

"Today is my formal introduction to the clans as the future yondaime kumichou. The meeting will start in about forty-five minutes. I'm going to be talking with the clan members, the allied clans and their own heirs. I have to make a good impression."

"Oi, Kumiko,"

Every face turned to look at Shin, who hadn't actually said anything since Kumiko had greeted them outside. She smiled for him.

"Yes?"

"How do they know about the clan?" Everyone knew who he was talking about immediately, except Kumiko who had to let it catch up to her. When she finally got it, she huffed at him.

"Oi, you don't have to be so rude about it! Ryu and Hayato brought Minoru home one night when he was wasted and found out then; Kosuke, Keita and Hikaru only found out later when Hayato brought them to see Ryu who was staying with me."

"Staying, with you?" No one missed the dark note hidden in his tone.

"What? It's no big deal; you've been over for dinner plenty of times!"

"But _I_ never stayed over!"

"You weren't in trouble like he was!"

"You know what I was going through! What could have happened to _him_ that was so much worse than what had happened to _me_?!"

"You had somewhere you could go!"

"Didn't he?!"

"He had me!"

The fight had started and escalated so fast, no one knew what to do. They just sat and watched as their former teacher argued with another of her former students. It was amazing really, how fast he had gotten a reaction out of her and how she managed to get the so far unruffled man to shout in anger. It was a side of her none of them had seen outside of an actual fight. She was lovely too, in a bout of anger she was lovely. This was all just too weird.

"Kumiko-chan," Called out Hikaru.

"So, what? Is he your favorite or something?!"

"Oi," he tried again.

"You should know how precious you and the others are to me. You're all precious to me! Especially you and Ryu! You both needed me more than the others! How could I not help either of you!" She moved to his side of the table, a hand on the front of his jacket. Her eyes were worried and she met his.

'Guess I'm not getting her attention right now…' Hikaru thought to himself, settling back in his place to watch the show.

"You and Ryu had problems that I could only help and not fix. I wanted him safe, just like I wanted you safe. You, at least, had your own apartment. I wasn't as worried about you. You can take care of yourself. Please Shin," She pressed her hand a little harder against his chest. "don't freak about this."

He looked away from her and shrugged.

"hn"

She sank down further in her seat, turning away. Seeing this, and ignoring the guys who were watching, he tapped her shoulder.

She turned her head and felt his forefinger touch her cheek.

"Baka"

She smiled wide and gave him another hug, squealing in glee.

"Thank you Shin! I'm so glad you're not mad now!"

Keita, who had so far remained quiet, mentally marveled. 'Wow. It's like I'm watching a married couple fight. Funny, that's the same way it felt when her and Ryu…!'

His head whipped around so fast his neck hurt but he still stared with rounded eyes at one of their leaders who was watching the commotion with a darker glare than usual.

'Don't tell me!' He looked at Hikaru, the more observant one of his gang, and Hikaru gave him a slight nod. 'Woah!' Suddenly, this reunion was ten times more interesting than it was when they decided to come.


	5. It's Been An Interesting Night

"Kumiko-chan," Everyone looked up and saw her grandfather step into the room. He was smiling at her and she rose. The boys bowed to him. He nodded back at them and spoke to Kumiko. "It's time to start the meeting."

"Alright" She turned to look at the guys who were getting up. "Thanks for coming by. It was so great to see everybody. Please come by again." Her grandfather put his hand on her shoulder.

"Actually, how about they stay and join the meeting? Would you like to stay a little longer?" He directed at the men. "I'm sure Kumiko would love for her friends to be there. It won't take too long."

The guys except Shin looked at each other and nodded to him. Hayato spoke for them.

"That'd be great. We'd be honored. If it's alright with you Kumiko-chan." She grinned at them and nodded happily.

"Of course it is! Please come with me!" She stood up, all grace and good manners, and led them out to the gathering hall. Ryu and Shin, who were in front, locked eyes, and Keita, Kosuke and Hikaru all wondered why the temperature seemed to go down a few degrees.

* * *

It was a sight none of them would likely forget for the rest of their lives; every allied family was arranged in order of power and favor before a small raised platform where Kumiko sat with a serene expression plastered on. There were scarred faces, handsome faces, _pretty_ faces, and a few that deserved a little less attention; and they were all concentrated to the front of the room where the Ojou was seated, special sake between her and the head of the Oedo Clan, Kuroda. They themselves were seated beside Minoru, Tetsu and Kyou who were weepy eyed with joy. For reasons unexplained, Tetsu had shaved his mustache again.

"Today is a great day," Said Kuroda, his tone very important and powerful. He gestured to Kumiko, "I never hoped to see this day come as have many of you, but when Kumiko told me that she was ready to accept her place in the Clan, I can say without shame that I near wept for joy; my granddaughter is going to be the next leader of the great Oedo Clan."

He picked up a sake cup, pouring some into it and handed it to her, then poured one for himself. He looked her in the eyes, expression serious.

"You've grown up in the family, a cherished member of my house but you have not always been involved with our business. You know our ways practice them even in public when once you tried to hide who you are to be what you liked. It will not be easy for you." She didn't blink or move as he spoke, "Are you ready for what this path holds for you? Are you ready to fight to hold this position, when others may challenge your strength to keep it? Can you be fearless, for the family does not need cowards; can you control the family and keep it safe? Can you, Yamaguchi Kumiko, take care of all of the Oedo Family for the rest of your and their," he gestured to the family, "lives?"

She nodded.

"Hai" She said, and downed the sake he had given her at the same time he downed his.

It was as if an explosion had gone off in the room as every member shouted and clapped and generally got rowdy. Huge bottles of sake appeared out of nowhere (and sake cups) as gang members poured drinks for everybody and food came flooding into the room from a doorway with servers carrying plates and bowls. The guys were brought plates of food and drinks by pretty girls and they joined in, though a lot quieter because they still hadn't gotten over the uproar and general chaos the rest of the room was in. Ryu was watching a group of men singing a crude drinking song, shifting his attention from them to a line of people forming to congratulate the head family members before his gaze settled once more on the Ojou who was smiling and laughing with the bosses. She looked happy at the center of the crowd, a future Kumichou to the most powerful Yakuza Clan, it was almost impossible to remember that once she was just a weird over-excitable teacher to a bunch of unruly delinquents. Ryu smiled to himself as he remembered how she was back then. So different from how she was now, but still the same person deep down; he knew this, even though he hadn't seen her in a couple of years, he could feel it. She was still the woman he,

Shin was watching her too, but he wasn't smiling. He was thinking.

He'd returned late from Africa believing that she had at the very least gone on a few dates with Shinohara but he'd heard instead that Shinohara had transferred out to Osaka and that Kumiko had had interest in a teacher instead. It bugged him but he couldn't have done anything about it since he was busy in the intervening time with working to make himself respectable in the eyes of her 'family'; at first his father had praised him for his achievements, thinking Shin was finally coming around to his father's way of thinking but Shin couldn't resist from bursting his father's bubble by telling him the truth. His father then disowned him, telling him to never again darken his family's door and Shin left without preamble. He didn't regret his choice. And never would he; his only regret was that he hadn't had the chance to say goodbye to his sister. Last he heard, she was well and in college. He hoped she was happy.

Kumiko was now walking around the room, greeting the lower gang members and bowing respectfully to some of the higher ups. He set his thoughts back to her.

He'd shown up today to see her, hoping to tell her about his intentions but was incredibly shocked to find a group of men already there to see her, all of them claiming to have been students of hers. That really wasn't the problem he had, though it did bug him that she seemed to so casually trust them with her old secret, no; what really bothered him was their 'fearless leader' who had brought them all to see her in the first place. He was a problem in Shin's eyes.

It was maddening that someone else had fallen for the former kyoji, but what was more maddening than that was the fact that she seemed to actually _return_ the guys feelings, if only a little bit and only subconsciously. It made his plans all the more harder to apply now that he had serious competition for her affections. He'd have to adapt everything he would have to do so that he would be the man to make her happy.

His only applicable edge was the connection he'd had with her almost from the moment they'd met. He'd seen her through her first class and she'd seen him through his darkest time and he couldn't help but believe that when they were both at Shiroken they'd been a little in love then, even though it went unsaid. It was a feeling that he hoped was still in her and that he would have the time to find it again.

* * *

It was hours later that everyone had finally gone home, leaving just Kumiko and the guys outside under the stars. She had traded her kimono for a summer yukata and her hair was pulled away from her face in a low ponytail. The guys were all smiles and good humor as they each hugged her, saying they would stop by again at a later date. Keita had said he had work the next day and Kosuke was going to see his mother. Hayato had actually pecked her on the cheek before waving and saying she looked less frumpy now and he didn't mind saying he knew her now that she wasn't so ugly. It earned him a glare and a rude gesture. Hikaru was waiting for Ryu, having already picked her up and hugged her, making her squeak again before saying bye. He was watching the three of them, Kumiko, Ryu and Shin stand in a semi circle; he could feel the tension they gave off like a burst of hot air.

Ryu was standing at her left, just waiting for her to give her attention to him while she was holding onto Shin. He scowled a little at the picture, not liking it one bit. This Shin was a stranger to him and, he suspected, was going to be trouble of the most dangerous sort.

"I'll be seeing you again, yes?" She said to Shin, pulling back a little to see his face which he twisted into a small smile for hers. "And next time, you think you could bring the others? I'd love to see how they're doing."

He shrugged, noncommittal. She punched him lightly in the shoulder but smiled regardless.

"You'll never change will you? Never letting me see what's going on underneath that cool expression; you even smiled tonight but I still can't tell what you're thinking." He grinned now, leaning down until they were nose to nose, personal space be damned.

"Maybe you just haven't given me the right incentive." She almost tilted her head but was stopped by the feel of his lips just at the corner of her mouth, warm and soft like a dream. He pulled back and brushed his cheek to hers before turning to leave. "Good night Kumiko."

"G, good, night…Shin…?" She stared after him with glazed eyes, befuddled by his actions. She wasn't expecting _that_. After a moment she turned back to Ryu, forgetting that Hikaru was watching everything.

Hikaru was trying to control a smirk that threatened to expose his thoughts to the night and he held up his fan in hopes of hiding what he couldn't keep in.

That Shin guy was daring, he'd give him that. The teasing and the drops of affection he'd given Kumiko had left her in a daze, stealing a little of Ryu's thunder and making Ryu angry and jealous. Ryu may never have said it, and for sure he had the stubbornness to keep it that way, but he _was_ in love with the woman. He had been ever since she had brought him home to stay with her. To Ryu, she was something of his champion, she was a guide in bad times. Hikaru had seen Ryu's budding devotion to her the day he'd stood up to his father in her home, the way Ryu had turned back into the room to tell her thank you. It was an odd reaction from the otherwise apathetic man and the implications were not lost on Hikaru though they were lost on Kumiko as sure as the sun was hot.

He watched as Ryu and Shin made eye contact again before Shin left and Kumiko came out of her daze. It wasn't friendly. It wasn't even rude. It was a fight that started without words, a rivalry that began with only one way to come out the victor. Someone had to claim the woman's heart before the other could get themselves so settled into her life that there would be no getting rid of them.

Hikaru both dreaded and looked forward to the coming chaos that would go on between the two stoic young men.

Ryu stepped into Kumiko's line of sight, touching her chin with a hand.

"Oi," She looked up at him, coming out of the haze.

"Hn," She intoned, registering that he was touching her. "ready to go?"

"Ah,"

She reached to put her arms around his waist but he stopped her with his hands under her elbows.

"What,"

"Hush," He guided her arms up until they were around his neck. He held them until her hands settled against the flesh at the back of his nape, tangling with the wisps of hair, and he put his own hands on the small of her back, pulling her close. His face was tucked against hers, a hairs breath between them as they listened to each other breath. It was a quiet moment as they shared their body heat and held each other. Ryu couldn't think of anything he could have wanted at that moment and Kumiko couldn't think beyond how warm she felt inside and outside with Ryu so close to her.

"Ryu,"

"Want to spend the day with me tomorrow?" She turned her head until she was looking in his eyes; he asked again. "Would you spend the day with me tomorrow? We can catch up together."

"Ah," She thought about it, but the haze of warmth that settled over both of them was to distracting and she answered him, "Sure. I'd like that a lot."

He smiled and closed his eyes, giving her an extra squeeze before stepping away. She watched him and Hikaru walk over to the gate before waving back at her. She returned the gesture before happily if a bit bemusedly making her way back into her home.

That, she thought to herself, was a very busy day.


	6. What An Unexpected RunIn

When she awoke a day later, she marveled at the pure joy that came from being allowed to sleep in and lazily stretched, not bothering to get up right away. She looked over at her clock, seeing that it was ten in the morning; lunch should be happening in another hour or so. She imagined the kumi were all breathing a sigh of relief that no one had to face her early morning wrath now that she didn't need to rise early. Honestly, people's noses did not need to be broken _that_ often.

She reflected back on the night before and couldn't believe all that had happened. She was the next true kumichou in line and she had seen some of her most precious students. And,

She covered her face with her hands, holding in a squeak of discomfort.

Shin had _kissed_ her. Ryu had _held_ her. Both of them made her insides squirm and heat up, worse than Kujo-sensei and Shinohara-san had done. She had been up until the wee hour of the morning fumbling the thought around. What on Earth was going _on_?

She uncovered her face, staring at the ceiling above her. It would appear that two of her former students were attracted to her, and a little unsettlingly enough, she was attracted to them. What would she do with this new development?

She remembered somewhere back in her mind that she had a 'date' with Ryu today, to catch up he said. She swept the thought of cancelling out of her mind, knowing that she couldn't cancel on him just because she might be uncomfortable; that would be cowardly. So what if she was now aware of Shin and Ryu as able and attractive, unattached men? Last night had served to prove that she had no actual trouble with being close with them; she could even return their attempts at intimacy. She had matured in the intervening years, growing more relaxed and calm with herself, to the point where she could accept physical contact without blushing and stuttering. It seemed to her that this situation she was now in was doable.

She sat up, getting out of bed to start the day and prepare for her 'date' with Ryu.

Well, she thought to herself, let's look at this properly. I am going out with a younger man, who I am attracted to and vice versa. I expect we'll have a lot of fun. We might hold hands. Maybe even kiss. So far so good; but what about after? Will there be more dates? Will all of this lead to something more? And what about Shin; he was non-committal about seeing me again, but maybe his shirking was more about bringing the others along. He had kissed me, going so far as to drop a risky innuendo in front of an audience to get his point across. What would she do if he asked her out and she was seeing Ryu on a steady basis? Would she say no, should she say no? Or would she say yes and see where that led? After all, she was seeing no one exclusively and nothing with Ryu was a monogamous commitment, so far it was only the first date. Maybe if it came up, she would talk about it with both of them.

She dressed and she was just finishing pulling her hair back in a low ponytail when someone knocked at her bedroom door. She answered to find Minoru.

"Odagiri Ryu is here."

She breathed deeply, and exhaled.

"Ah"

* * *

She moved into the tea room where Ryu was seated across from the four yakuza members. He looked a little stiff and laughing a little to herself, who could blame him? He was facing some relatively high ranking minions waiting for their ojou to take her on a date. Who wouldn't be a little frightened at the prospect?

"Oi, minna; lay off." She smiled at Ryu as the men bowed to her, rose and shuffled off. She watched him as he rose, taking in his manner of dress. "You look so odd without your old uniform. I think I've only ever seen you in something else once."

He was dressed in black slacks and an open white dress shirt over a black tank top. She felt the dress shirt a little, grinning.

"It's a good look for you."

He took in what she was wearing and nodded at her low ride jeans, matched with a fitted spaghetti strapped top decorated with a modest dusting of cherry blossoms over a deep red undertone.

"So does this on you. You look better out of the track suits." He took her hand that was touching his shirt and led the way out of the Kuroda compound. Her insides were shifting around but she was pleased with the contact. It helped solidify things and it allowed reciprocating.

She pulled up beside him as they headed up the road to an unknown destination, settling herself until her arm was tucked a little under his as they walked. It was picturesque.

"So Ryu, what have you been up to? You didn't say last night." He kept his pace, a serene expression on his face.

"I went on to university. My dad pulled some strings and I was admitted to a low key but still prestigious school in Europe; I stayed there for a year before coming back to enroll in a less upscale place outside of Tokyo. I'm now on break before my last year of school starts."

"Ahh, how grand and exotic! You're an experienced journey man now; soon you'll be visiting the Americas and meeting with Brad Pitt." He scrunched his face at her words and she laughed. "So what are you studying?"

"Art, with a minor in finance." He actually looked a little sheepish. "I paint"

She ogled at him; she had never considered that he was artistic. He had always been so broody and standoffish. And he never said anything even remotely creative!

"That's, amazing! You have to show me some of your work!" He looked down at the excited woman on his arm practically bouncing with anticipation. He couldn't help but comply with her whim.

"Alright. I'll bring you to my studio next time." Her eyes widened even further.

"Wow, a studio too; you're so professional!" He huffed at her, looking away.

"Shut up"

"Ne, Kumiko?" She and Ryu looked up to see Shin coming down a side street toward them. Kumiko's insides curdled while Ryu's expression went carefully blank. He was dressed casually, a red t-shirt paired with black jeans and sneakers; a ring on his right forefinger glinted in the sun's rays. He looked like a casual jpop idol. He stopped in front of her.

"Shin, how are you?" She shifted a little; unsure of herself while standing beside one man and holding the hand of another. She hadn't expected it to happen so suddenly. She leaned a little on the arm of Ryu, trying to rally herself. She smiled at Shin. "What are you doing wandering around today? Relaxing or heading to work?"

He shook his head, giving only a second to making eye contact with Ryu, who still was silent, before giving his attention once more to the petite woman in front of him. He drew a half step closer, just inside her comfort zone, and smiled. His proximity didn't bother her, just his unexpected arrival.

"I'm going to get something to eat. There's a nice restaurant nearby, I usually stop there when I have the time; would you and he like to come with me?"

"Um," she paused, a surge of worry and warning going through her mind before she shook her head at him, an apologetic smile for him, "No, I promised today to Ryu, he and I haven't had time to ourselves and we were both looking forward to today. Another time, promise?" For added emphasis, she gave Ryu's arm a little squeeze to show exactly what kind of 'get together' it was and Shin could only nod.

"Alright. I'll stop by in a few days and we can go to the restaurant then; okay?"

She shot a glance at Ryu before nodding to Shin who nodded back, briefly touched her cheek and wandered on his way, looking for the entire world like a very smug lion.

Kumiko looked up at Ryu who so far hadn't said anything. His expression was bored and indifferent, but closer inspection of his eyes showed an underlying darkness; irritation. She sighed. With a quick jump, she gave him a kiss on the cheek which made him look down at her in surprise. She smiled for him.

"You hungry?" He finally smiled.

"Ah"


	7. Everybody Watching Has Theories

So it came to pass that Kumiko and Ryu had a date that ended in dinner and a kiss. She really hadn't expected to kiss him so soon, but when he walked her to the front of her home and stood there like a lost little boy, she couldn't resist how cute he looked and rose up on the balls of her feet to give him a peck on the mouth, surprising him. She had smiled, he had turned pink and they made plans to meet again. She watched him leave and finally went back in where her grandfather was waiting for her.

Inside they sat at the dining table and she poured them each a cup of sake. He observed her in silence before speaking.

"So, one of your former students has grown up and wishes to become romantically involved?"

She nodded, feeling a little flustered.

"Hai," he smiled inwardly at the blush on her face.

"And he's not the only one I take it?"

She shook her head and took a drink.

"No, Sawada, Shin," she corrected herself, "has also shown interest. We're supposed to meet in a few days."

Kuroda nodded to her, taking a long drink from his cup. He thought to himself for a time, weighing his words. She waited while he decided on what would be the most helpful thing to say. Then,

"How did it go tonight?"

She leaned back in her place and looked out the window, pondering.

"It wasn't bad, or boring. We did talk about what we'd both been up to since we last saw each other and we went out to eat." She smiled at a memory and Kuroda took note of it, "he's an artist and he's taking me to see his studio when we next go out. He was actually a little embarrassed to tell me that he could paint," her voice softened to an almost whisper but Kuroda heard it, "it was cute."

He watched her and the way she seemed to be reliving the day's events in her mind. For a moment it was as if he wasn't there, and she was still with Ryu doing whatever it was they did during their 'date'. He thought to himself that she may have already made a choice but didn't say it for lack of seeing her reaction to the other boy she had taught.

"And what of Sawada Shin?" He asked carefully, watching her closely.

Her reverie ended and she got an almost troubled look on her face.

"Him I don't know, I never know what to make of him and I never know what he's thinking. It's like he enjoys being confusing sometimes." She took another drink, poured herself another round, "Ryu and I ran into him while we were out. He was, I don't know, _fishing_ almost for a reaction from Ryu and I. He asked if we would like to join him for lunch but I said no." she looked down at the contents of her cup, swirling it around, "it didn't feel like a good idea."

Kuroda nodded; it wouldn't have been. Two men vying for the affection of the same woman could not be in each others' presence for long without one or both of them doing something they would both regret. He mentally approved of Kumiko's instincts and her trusting in them. It was something she would be able to rely on when she someday took on the title of Kumichou.

Despite what she was saying, she smiled again, though this one was a little different from the one she had when she thought of Ryu. He filed it away as she talked about what she had thought of.

"Shin's always been so confidant in everything he did, though it was like pulling teeth sometimes to get him to say anything. He was like this walking, breathing cool; nothing could ruffle him." She was looking outside again, a wistful expression on her face. "Whenever I had trouble with the class and it seemed like there wasn't anything I could do, he would somehow come through with a solution. The only things that made him angry were when someone talked down to his friends and whenever his sister was in danger. He cared, still cares I think, a lot for those he held dear." She laughed and looked back at her grandfather, "you know I used to think he was gay? Yeah, the guys said that when asked why he never had a girlfriend, he said he wasn't interested in girls. I thought he meant he wasn't interested in them _period_."

Kuroda repeated the words in his head and silently agreed with her assessment; it did sound like a confession of homosexuality to him. She went on,

"But the guys cleared that up by explaining that when Shin said something, it didn't always mean what people heard. Shin just wasn't interested in girls, meaning none of them were interesting to him." She chuckled, "the only girl he's ever shown any interest in apparently is me; at least, that's how they explained it, but they were so rude about it! They said that they didn't get it since I was so dowdy, why would he be interested? Was I really that bad back then?"

'Yes.' Kuroda thought but knew better than to say. It was just _asking_ for trouble if he did.

He watched her face as she remembered things and he was quick to note once again the difference in her expressions whenever she thought of either of her two pursuers. For Shin there was both a happy and irritated mist over all her thoughts of him, a familiarity that marked his memory as special, someone she would always value. For Ryu, there was a softer, more feminine reflection of affection; she saw him more from a woman's viewpoint than she did Shin. Ryu brought out the girl in her, while Shin was like her best friend. Both were powerful forms of love but the question was which one she valued more.

To himself, Kuroda examined the situation and came up with viable endings. Love was a wonderful thing, and certainly she was heading in that direction with Ryu; and friendship was something to value and could always develop into something more, which could be the case with Shin; but both cases would not necessarily be complete without being both love **and** friendship. If she chose to go with Ryu's pursuit, she would need to establish a bond with him that went beyond infatuation to trust and friendship. And if she went with Shin, she would have to not just see him as a friend, but as a romantic partner; shin of course seemed to already know this and was already pushing for the romantic edge from her. Kuroda only hoped he wouldn't push too hard or else he would damage his fair chance with her.

As for Ryu, he was working slowly but already he was making progress with the ojou by being open to doing things that would establish himself as someone she could count on and trust. Kuroda remembered what she was like when she was crushing on Kujo and Shinohara and her infatuation with them was more girlish than feminine, something juvenile compared to how she was acting when it came to Ryu Odagiri. He approved of her shift to something more feminine and mature and was sure that the man Ryu Odagiri was deserving, but still, he reserved judgment until after she had been on a few more dates with both of them.

Kuroda settled back with another cup of sake and sipped. Kumiko watched him, a half smile on her face. She put her cup down.

"Well grandfather, what do you think of all of this?"

He swished the contents of his cup thoughtfully. Finally he smiled at her.

"You have two strong and confident men who both want the same thing. They will both try in their ways to win over your affection; they both seem deserving. In the end, it will have to be you who decides which one you want something from. Do whatever you feel is best, for your instincts will not steer you wrong."

She looked at him for the longest time before finally nodding. She stood up.

"Thank you grandfather; I'll do just that." She hugged him goodnight and went to bed. He watched her go.

"This is going to be very interesting."

* * *

It was four days later that Kumiko was sitting at a table and going over finances when Kyou walked in to announce a visitor. She looked up from her work to see Shin come in behind the gang member. He was smirking; in his hand was a flower. It was a peach toned rose. She rose from her seat and moved closer to him as Kyou dismissed himself and left. She smiled at him.

"Hey Shin," she gestured to the contents of his hand. "What's with the flower?"

He held it up and out to her, an obvious answer. She took it, a little shy. He watched her face as she gave a delicate sniff, inhaling the rose's scent. He smiled as she looked at him through her lashes; it spoke to something deep inside him.

"Thank you." Not knowing quite what to do, she turned to the doorway and called for Kyou who she knew was listening. "Kyou-san, get me a vase."

"Hei, Ojou," She and Shin heard before footsteps led away and down a hall. She and Shin looked at each other for a bit before they both broke into smiles. The tension Kumiko felt drained away and she found she could talk again.

"So, are we going out to eat today? I know a place that serves great sashimi,"

"Actually I was thinking of something in specific. How do you feel about American food?"

She gave him a quizzical look.

"On the fence; why?" He smiled, gesturing to the door.

"It's a surprise. Ready to go?" She looked down at what she was wearing and looked back up at him, her expression sarcastic. She struck a pose, showing off her pajama bottoms and a worn t-shirt.

"Do I look like I'm presentable?" His smirk took on a devious gleam and he answered,

"Compared to how you used to dress? Yeah, you're presentable."

She huffed with indignation.

"I was not that bad!"

"You wore nothing but track suits." He said, bored.

"It was comfortable! And I had to be comfortable when I was chasing you and the others to hell and back!" She turned in place to shuffle her papers into a presentable pile while she argued with him. "I couldn't exactly wear a skirt and a blouse while running into whatever fight you guys had gotten into; shit like that is expensive and blood doesn't just _fall _away from silk!"

"Have experience with that?" He asked, wondering about the blood.

"My first date in high school" She said, not looking at him. "He knew I was the daughter of yakuza; he tried," she didn't finish the thought and when she looked at him again, her expression was bright and happy and totally in denial. "Anyway! I was wearing a new silk top and the blood just wouldn't come out! Tetsu cried for days; he was the one who gave it to me."

"Hn," he said, knowing something more happened than she wanted to talk about but decided not to push it for now. "So, you want to change before we go?"

"Oh, how did you _ever_ know?" she said full of sarcasm but she smiled to remove the sting and went to her room. He watched her go, sinking into deep thought.

It was as he was contemplating the day to come when Kuroda wandered in and saw him; Kuroda was not a man of eccentrics but he was gripped by the insane compulsion to laugh maniacally. He held that in though, no need to frighten the boy. He cleared his throat and got Shin's attention.

Shin bowed respectfully to Kuroda, whom he respected a great deal. Kuroda had welcomed him into his home like one of the family, something his own real family had never done. He sometimes felt that he would have like to have had Kuroda as his own father. He listened as Kuroda spoke,

"Hello Sawada, you're here for Kumiko yes?" Shin nodded back.

"Hn, and you can call me Shin if you like Kuroda-sama"

Kuroda nodded, a congenial smile on his face. He stuffed his hands deep in his sleeves and looked in the direction of Kumiko's room. He affected a light tone when he spoke again.

"Well, Kumiko certainly has been receiving a lot of visitors lately." He glanced slyly at Shin from the corner of his eye. "Since the night of the ceremony, she's had that one young man come by, Odagiri, I believe his name was."

Shin's expression was blank but his eyes were dark, something Kuroda didn't for a second miss. He went on, feigning ignorance of Shin's shift of mood.

"Yes, he stopped by and they took off, gone for the entire day and not getting back until late. I must say, I haven't seen Kumiko-chan smile like that before; that young man is certainly a blessing if he can put her in such a good mood just by spending the day with her."

Shin was listening, and he didn't like what he was hearing. He remembered that day, when he had run into Kumiko and Ryu on their 'outing', more like _date_, and how they were touching and laughing together. Or rather, it was Kumiko who was doing most of the laughing; she had been saying something about a studio to Ryu when he'd walked up to them, unable to leave them alone. He remembered how when he asked them if they would like to join him for lunch, she had leaned in closer to _that guy_ and take his hand as if to emphasize just how _together_ they were. It was little comfort when she agreed to meet him at a later date, this one actually, for lunch and catching up; he took peace in the fact that he had managed to unsettle the other man with the simple act of touching her and making plans to see her alone later. He had wandered away from them first but he stopped not far from them to watch them have another moment removed from time. He had watched, as they seemed to sink into a world of just them as she soothed Ryu and got him to smile for her, making her whole face light up. He knew he had his work cut out for him if he were to get her to see him and only him in that kind of light before Ryu could keep her eyes on him permanently.

She had voluntarily kissed Ryu; that was a source of worry. He could recall how she used to be around the men she crushed on and none of her actions then met with her actions now; she had been too shy to do anything to Shinohara and the fact that she had gotten past that shyness meant that what she was feeling for Odagiri Ryu was more than what she felt for her ordinary crushes. Yes, he really did have his work cut out for him.

"Alright, I'm ready," Kumiko said as she came back into the room, black jeans and a lavender satin tank under a dark blue light jacket her choice of clothing for the trip, which actually went well with what Shin had chosen to wear; black jeans with a white t-shirt covered in black and forest green splash patterns under a black vest. Kuroda looked at them stand side by side and couldn't help but think on how well they looked together. Shin held his hand out and Kumiko looked at it before taking it in hers. They bowed to her grandfather who bowed back.

"I'll be back later grandfather."

"Have fun, be safe," Kuroda said with a wave, watching them exit. He smiled to himself, humming under his breath and turned back to the room to look over the books that Kumiko had been working on. A Yakuza Leader's work after all, was never done.


End file.
